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(N0 Model.) J W. COMBINED COLLAR BUTTON AND TIE RETAINER.

No. 591,978. Patented Oct. 19,1897,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 'w; KNAUSE, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

COMBINED COLLAR-BUTTON AND TIE-RETAINER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,978, dated October 19, 1897.

Application filed October 26,1896- Serial No. 610,016. (No model.)

To all whom, it rnrtg concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. KNAUSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Collar-Button and Tie-Retainer; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates more particularly to a combined neckband and collar fastener and tie-retainer; and it consists, essentially, of the peculiarly-shaped front and back members united by an elastic or yielding connection, the said front member having a rearwardly-bent hook formed thereon above the center of the button, whereby when in use the neckband of a shirt and the collar are interposed between the said front and back, the hook portion thereof while the device is in use being held above the buttonhole by the necktie and adapted to prevent the latter from being accidentally displaced, all as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In combined collar-buttons and tie-retainers heretofore made it has been usual in some instances at least to provide the rigid shank portion with a front prong extending downwardly therefrom at substantially, right angles. In other cases the front member of the button has been hinged to the shank, thus producing the well-known tip-up button. In this latter form, however, the front was unprovided with means for holding or retaining the necktie or scarf.

My invention differs from such former devices in that the back and front members thereof are united by an elastic or flexible connection, thereby adapting the front portion of it to be readily passed through bands and collars varying greatly in thickness, the form and arrangement of the book being such that the latter readily passes back and forth with the front, the hook portion when in use being a distance above the buttonhole and having the face of the hook lying in substantially the same plane with the face of th front, the latter being elongated.

By means of my improvement the plain or band part of the tie is adapted to lie snugly against the back of the collar, the device at the same time retaining the tie in position and completely concealing the buttonhole. I would add that the construction of the back member is such that the device may be worn without discomfort.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved combined collar-button and tie-retainerin enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view viewed from the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 00 00 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a vertical section, taken through the neckband, collar, and tie, showing my improved device combined therewith. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the back member.

A in the drawings indicates my improved combined collar-button and tie-retainer as a whole.

The front member b and the back a may be made of suitable metal or materialas gold, plated stock, vulcanite, &c. I prefer to make the said back member a oval in form, the same being comparatively large in area and slightly convex. The center portion of it may be cut and swaged so as to produce the integral bar d having one of its edges provided with short spurs or prongs p. (See Fig. 5.)

The front member I) of the device may be made comparatively fiat and elongated, its lower portion terminating in a convenientlyshaped end, as c. The upper end of the member I) is fashioned into an open eye or well-rounded hook a the opening thereof communicating with the tie-receiving space 17 The hook part may be bent rearwardly, its outer portion being substantially even with the front face of the part b. The said front and back members are united by afle'xible or elastic connection (1, the latter ex tending from the rear side of the part b at a point below the said hooki The other end of the connection is inserted between the bar (Z and the adjacent face of the back a and is held in place by the prongs p, as clearly shown.

In using the device A the free end of the I part b is first introduced, followed by forcing the entire front member through the buttonholes it until arrested by the back a, after which the front is depressed, thereby drawing the hook part completely through the buttonhole, the flexible connection d at the same time yielding sufficiently for the purpose, the several parts then appearing substantially as shown in Fig. 4E. The wearer upon placing the tie 'n round his neck draws it into the hook-recess b the latter serving to maintain the tie in position. It will be apparent that the yielding connection operates to keep the members a and b in snug contact with the adjacent parts interposed between them.

I may state that in Fig. at the several parts are somewhat distorted and exaggerated in order to more clearly illustrate them.

I would further add that one of the objects attained by my invention is that it can be worn with little or no discomfort whatever, since the back member of the button will always lie snugly against the garment, and therefore is not liable to chafe the neck of the wearer. Moreover, by the employment of the elastic or flexible connection, and constituting the shank of the button, the latter automatically adapts itself to varying thicknesses of bands and collars, thereby causing the front and back members to bear closely upon the interposed or intervening parts of the garment and collar. In case the connection (1 becomes worn or unduly stretched it may be readily removed from the parts a and b and another substituted.

Certain details of the construction may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example,

the tie or connection at may be composed of any desired flexible or elastic material and secured to the front and back members in any suitable manner.

I am aware that a button or stud has been devised having two heads united by an interposed shank adapted to fit in a buttonhole, and having the front or outer head provided with an arm extending upwardly above the head and bent so as to .form a hook, the latter being adapted to extend over the upper edge of and form a holder for a necktie. In said former device, however, the two heads, the shank, and the arm are rigidly united,thus forming an integral or non-j ointed structure.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. The combined collar-button and tie-retainer A hereinbefore described, the same comprising the back member a, the thin elongated front member 1) adapted to pass through the buttonhole, a flat interposed flexible connection cl secured to and uniting said front and back members, and having the up er end of said front piece 5 reduced in width and bent to form a hook adapted to receive the upper edge of a necktie, substantially as set forth.

2. In a combined collar-button and tie-retainer, the combination with the back member a and the flat elastic connection (1 secured thereto, of the elongated front memberb JOHN W. KNAUSE.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. REMINGTON, REMINGTON SHERMAN. 

